The preseason transfer window of world soccer comes to a close on September 2nd, and the most anticipated move of the summer has finally come to fruition. Gareth Bale has officially moved from Tottenham Hotspur Football Club of the English Premier League to Real Madrid of La Liga in Spain. This long-awaited move becomes the most expensive transfer in soccer history.
Real Madrid paid a transfer fee of 132 million dollars to Tottenham for the services of Gareth Bale. The previous transfer record fee came from Real Madrid as well, when they signed striker Christiano Ronaldo from Manchester United for 130 million dollars in 2009. Gareth Bale is only 24 years old, and the question is whether or not he is worth 132 million dollars.
Bale started his career at Southampton Football Club in England, playing as a defender. In 2007 he was sold to Tottenham for a transfer fee of 11 million dollars. In only 6 years with Spurs, Gareth Bale developed into a lethal winger, specializing in scoring from a distance. In his last year in England, Bale scored 11 goals from outside of the 18 yard box. This amount was more than any other player in the world.
All eyes will be on Bale as he plays his first season in Spain with Real Madrid. Anything less than a league title will be a disappointment for Bale and his teammates, as Madrid seeks its 32nd La Liga title. The critics will definitely be watching Bale’s every move this season. For a player that doesn’t yet have the hardware to justify a 132 million dollar transfer fee, Bale will seek to become one of La Liga’s most deadly strikers. In a league with Messi, Neymar, and Ronaldo, Gareth Bale certainly has his work cut out for himself.